Wow I guess it could make sense if Microsoft wanted to make COD exclusive to the next xbox. That would certainly be one way to drive sales of the new console. They could do the same with a diablo 3 port. I dont really care much about COD anymore but I can see the motivation behind it.

IF microsoft purchased Activison/Blizzard they would make any game made by the key developers exclusive to xbox. For example. COD, the next Treyarch (non COD game). The next Bungie game and if Blizzzard wants to port Diablo to consoles it will go xbox exclusive. If Sony or Nintendo wanted these games they would have to pay a huge premium for them. Win - Win for microsoft.

The only one that makes real sense is Warner. I'm not a PS3 player, but the exclusivity to Xbox for CoD and others if MS buys would be a concern. Warner is getting better and better. There really isn't another publisher like them. After being in the entertainment business for over 80 years, they seem to constantly embrace the evolution of technology. And they don't seem to be afraid trying new things to push the envelope. They're leaders. I wish them luck with this!

With those being the options, Microsoft seems to be the best fit.  I'm sure it will just be a transfer of ownership with the vast majority of the Blizzard employees staying on staff. It would probably operate as it's own entity just under the Microsoft umbrella but now with a much bigger arsenal of resources.  Most of the PC games are being played on Windows anyway, close collaboration might actually create more efficient games.  Why not give consoles a shot at MMO's? If you own a PC, who cares? If they can create a server infrastructure to support well... I don't see how it effects PC's game play.  

Woah I dont see how Microsoft wouldnt want to buy this it would give them a ridiculous amount of control of gaming industry maybe because of the hit the game industry taken with APPs and stuff that they might fear a collapse, but if they had control be kinda holy crap inducing. Because wouldnt it give them access to COD (no longer multiplatform?) and WOW and Starcraft/Diable III fanbase?

Microsoft will buy them. Just like they bought Rare. Just like they bought Bungie. An Xbox 8 launch with an exclusive COD  and a Diablo 3.5 game is worth that price. How much better would xbox live arcade be with Activision and Blizzards back catalogs?  I bet Microsoft is already celebrating.

I truly hope MS doesn't buy A/B that would give them such an unfair advantage to Sony & Nintendo. Yes the buyout would give MS more money in the long run but making such games as C.o.D. a Xbox exclusive would give them such a damn monopoly over over other hardworking console making publishers (Sony, Nintendo) I know MS will be buttering palms as usual just to own them and make themselves the equivalent of power hungry elitists making people who have no interest in owning a xbox buy their hardware just to play their favorite games (such as C.o.D. yes many people still love C.o.D.) I have all 3 consoles and I love my 360 even though I prefer my PS3 to it but if microsoft really wants to attract more people they need to work on making new and better exclusives than *** halo, gears, and fable that's the only way they'll ever be equal to Sony and PC only game devs cause lets face it halo aint got *** on Uncharted or Diablo

Honestly none of those companies would be good for them. Microsoft would take them all to PC/Xbox which would be a very big deal. Time Warner is an awful company and Tencent doesn't really seem to match up.

It would be awesome to see a company take over that could kind of straighten things up in there.

well microsoft could finally get some more exclusives if they go through on this

Buy it Microsoft! and fire Kotick.

It would be incredibly ironic for Microsoft to absorb Acti-Blizzard. :3

somehow i don't like this news at all :/

If Microsoft buy them then bungie effort to escape Microsoft has fail hahahahahha

I really hope that Microsoft makes the purchase. I'd love to see some Blizzard games on consoles.

So CoD would belong to Microsoft, forcing PS owners to buy an Xbox or get a better PC, killing off a good chunk of CoD players?

Count me in.

No I dont want Microsoft to get them.

thats weird, why would vivendi want to sell activision, they make them a buttload of money, unless something fishy like what happened between infinityward and activision is also happening between vivendi and activision, or it could be that they don't like activision's public image now and want to seperate themselves from them

If Microsoft buys it, say goodbye to their games on Mac.

i doubt MS buys them... time warner picks up the brand even more epic fail down the line ... Blizzard all im saying is..you're gonna get some bad karma just due to diablo 3..

let jay wilson own it .. so it can REST  IN PEACE!!!!!!!

Why don't Blizzard buy themselves out of ownership???